


Interlude

by DiamondsxStags



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Shep is earthborn and ruthless, i wrote this at 1 am because i was reading a lot of poetry and i got Feelings, takes place during me3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-10
Updated: 2017-04-10
Packaged: 2018-10-17 04:58:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10586925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DiamondsxStags/pseuds/DiamondsxStags
Summary: The Reapers are terrorizing the galaxy, and Tali finds some comfort in Eli.





	

It’s hard to tell the passage of time in space. The stars are always out, there are moons in every direction and enough suns to burn up Earth a thousand times over if the Reapers don’t first. Time has little meaning out here and Tali has seen many of her squadmates and other crew members of the Normandy remain in one place, doing one thing, for hours and hours and not even realize it because so little has changed. There are no clocks on the ship either, that’s partly what omnitools are for, but who really pays attention to the small, four digits in the upper left corner? especially now that the whole galaxy is staring extinction in the face? But Tali had plans and when the alarm on her omnitool went off she felt a jolt of surprise run through her and realize just how long it had been. She takes a step back from the console, flexes her fingers, nods to the other engineers before leaving the core.

One of the many improvements she likes is the speed of the elevator, it always seemed to be so slow before.

When she enters the cabin Eli is cooing over his fish and Tali wonders how the galaxy would react if they knew that the fearsome Commander Elijah Shepard, the Butcher of Torfan, the first human Specter, treated his fish the way most organic lifeforms treat their young.

“I think Wilbur’s getting bigger.” He says, face close to the glass, his scars casting a red glow so intense, it was almost sinister. But the fish, used to the light that emitted from Eli’s scars, all gathered around, fighting for attention. Eli chuckles, a low sound from deep in his chest, and he clicks his tongue before turning to Tali. “What do you think?”

Tali stands in front of the fish, Eli stepping away to give her room, as she considers Wilbur, the most recent edition to the tank. “A little…I think.” She turns to Eli. “To be honest, I don’t really pay very close attention to the size of the fish.”

Eli puts a hand on his chest, his face twisted into a mocking impression of hurt. “Tali! How could you say such a thing?” He moves closer to the glass, wiggling his finger in front of Wilbur. “Don’t worry little guy, I’ll do enough noticing for Tali and I.”

Wilbur gently head bumps the glass, inches away from Eli’s finger, like he understood, before swimming away.

“I think you need bigger pets.” Tali said wryly. “Like a cat. Or a dog.”

“When this is all over I’ll get two of each, promise.” Eli stands up, now towering over Tali and he looks down at her and smiles with a gentleness that still takes Tali’s breath away and makes her heart flutter. “After we get that house on Rannoch.”

A warmth fills Tali, so intense that she wonders if it is making her glow like Eli’s face, and she wonders what colour she would give off if she was. “We’ll have to find ones compatible to the environment.” She says. “I’m not sure just any old cat and dog will do.”

“I’m sure we’ll find something.” He takes her hand and even through her suit Tali can feel the callouses and ridges that had formed from years of toughness, almost to the point where they feel like leather. It is a feeling Tali had never known before Eli, having been surrounded by sleek suits made of metal and fabric, obsessively maintained and cleaned and with nary a crease or bump. It is a feeling Tali loves because it makes Eli seem more real.

They lie together on the bed, Eli holding Tali’s head to his chest, almost like he was shielding her. She still remembers their first night together, when they had both let down boundaries, physical and otherwise, in order to truly experience each other. Eli’s grip had been like a vice and she listened to him mumble in Hebrew, using words she could still not decipher, but she could guess at their meaning.

“When this is over,” Eli says, voice softer than a breeze, “I’m gonna make you that house. We’ll have a home. I promise.”

‘Home’. Just a little under a week ago, that still meant a ship to Tali, one of the many in the Flotilla. Now it was a planet, a real planet, the homeworld. Rannoch. Tali had always thought she would never live to see her people reclaim it, would never to live to see anything close. But she had been there. She had been on the ground, had killed enemy Geth, watched the admirals make peace with the Geth that were peaceful and wished no harm. Another thing Tali had never expected to see. Or even _happen_.

She knew that ‘home’ was an abstract concept to Eli. It was something he had never truly known, always running, never settling anywhere long enough to even begin to form roots. Leaving was all he had ever known. His first lesson was how to prepare for a sudden departure, and it was a thing he clung onto still.

“Yes. We will.”

Tali holds his hand, and hopes that’s enough to ease him tonight.


End file.
